Then go check Beardyman out…

After some time away, Manic launched the first proper salvo on January 15th with this; his main issue being that although Guido Fawkes is the self-styled voice of “tittle tattle, gossip and rumours about Westminster’s Mother of Parliaments”, he is actually a very partisan commentator and is bringing the good name of political blogging into ill-repute. Whether you agree with Manic or not, he makes some very good points and has certainly made me step back and think about all this.

So here’s my perspective: i take pretty much anything i read (in any medium) with a large pinch of salt. If it’s something that intrigues me, i will endeavour to back up the claims made independently through my own digging around. I consider myself fairly astute and although i don’t profess being able to ascertain someone’s agenda immediately, after a time, a lot of hints are dropped that make you come to your own conclusions. This means that for someone like me (utterly, utterly fed up with the way British politics is now being played out), i have a wealth of information in front of me that i can digest as i see fit… and do a little bit of extra research if something strikes me as being not quite right, or very interesting. And in this day and age, there is so much information in the public domain that this task is rarely that difficult. I suppose a lot comes down to how much you trust something. I rarely believe anything i see on the TV news, or what i read in the papers… i don’t treat blogging any differently. Everyone is entitled to their viewpoint. I certainly have mine. But for me to try and draw any meaningful conclusion from something, i need a wide variety of sources and arguments to base my final analysis on.

And so on the one hand, a think tank created in the memory of John Smith that would appear to be cosying up to Number 11 Downing Street a little too much for a charity. And on the other, another “independent” think tank (and charity) the Policy Exchange, which would appear to be staffed by nothing but Tories (current, past, potential…) Chuck the new 18 Doughty Street (“anti-establishment” and “independent of all the political parties” online TV channel) into the mix and this is becoming sleaze central. And yet… it’s not really. It’s just how the world turns, how things get done. Whether it’s right or wrong is another question entirely.

Look past all the vitriol and what have you got? Well, on the face of it, quite a bit of dodginess i suppose. Whether what these institutions are doing is legal or not, time will tell. However, most important, people are bringing to the attention of the relevant authorities, cases where they believe there is genuine wrongdoing. Whatever the outcomes, the overall result is surely greater transparency. Perhaps the Smith Institute and Policy Exchange are doing nothing wrong. Perhaps they’ll just get a smack on the wrists. What is without doubt in my mind, is that other ‘independant think tanks’ will look at what is happening and will maybe start clearing up their acts a bit. Maybe certain ‘charities’ will have to clean up their acts a bit too? As for 18 DS… well it’s kinda the first of its kind in Britain and there is still legislation being formulated in Brussels to try and control this new medium. Again, time will tell as to whether what anyone is doing is right or wrong. But again, whatever the outcome, people who feel it’s not right, are spending time and effort researching the facts and presenting their arguments so the powers that be can decide. This is democracy in action… which is good.

In all reality, the next couple of years are not going to bring about a revolution in the blogosphere, with individuals trying to get to the bottom of some of the more interesting stories that the MSM do their best to suppress or ignore. Leading up to the next UK General Election in particular, we will see the online battle of the political parties. Supporters from all sides will be doing their best to promote their party and to dig the dirt on their opponents. It’s going to get nasty. I have the utmost respect for anyone who is willing to wear their heart on their sleeve and do their best to get their party elected. Bloggers from all sides are going to get seriously hurt. We’re reaching an age where you don’t have to be too technologically savvy to manipulate digital information but there’s a still an awful lot of ignorance in general out there. People do generally tend to believe what they read at face value, which is a shame. Oh well, ca c’est la vie. There’s gonna be an awful lot of bullshit, a lot of slander, flame wars and astro-turfing, not to mention the horrendous personal attacks. Me, i’ll get to sit back and watch everything that flows across my screen, making my own mind up… and really not giving a shit who gets elected. I live in Belgium, i pay Belgian tax (so help me God) and British politics has no direct effect on me. I’m proud of Britain and it’s democracy. I don’t like seeing what is currently happening to it. The more transparent everything becomes (through bloggers or others) and the people that are elected to represent the British people begin to understand that they cannot pull the wool over our eyes and that they will be held to account… maybe, just maybe ole Britannia can pull through this storm and come out the other side a healthier democracy.

All i want from life is to be allowed to get on with it, in a way i choose and see fit. I don’t want to look at elected officials and see a bunch of incompetent fuckwits (and this is by no means purely a UK thing… let’s not start on la Belgique!) I don’t think i can remember seeing a single politician in the recent past say anything that struck me as being truthful. I have had enough of spin. I have had enough of the chicanery and verbal manipulation. I want to see politicians get up and be accountable, especially the ones who make it to government. They are meant to have the people’s best interests at heart and yet all they appear to be doing is trying to further their personal agendas and waste as much hard-earned tax payers money as they possibly can. Perhaps the British political bloggers are just getting to grips with this art of in-depth commentary that reaches the parts the MSM just can’t? Perhaps they can truly start to hold government accountable and promote transparency? I ain’t holding my breath… but sit down, strap in and hold on – this roller coaster ride is just starting, it should, at the very least, mix things up a bit!

I’ve been to a few gigs, the most memorable in recent times whilst at university. The best, without a shadow of a doubt, was in the old Digbeth Custard Factory at the Medicine Bar; but for the first time ever, at Stainage, bass moved me. Not emotionally you understand… the bass actually made by balls move of their own free will and volition. Not an altogether unpleasant sensation if i’m being honest and if you get the chance to hear dubstep live, i heartily recommend it!

For more info on the Belgian scene, you’d do well to start with BunZero & Dice, with the dubstepforum providing a one-stop shop for everything that’s happening globally.

I leave you with this thought:  In Africa, the African use drums for various reasons…

In no particular order…

- The Croydonian is quite simply one of the most informative, erudite and witty blogs i’ve come across. A man of, it would seem, impeccable taste, an eye for the absurd and always the first port of call if you wish to know about what’s really going on in the world.

- The Ministry of Truth is a blog i only stumbled across thanks to the whole Bob Piper saga, so a recent addition to my must reads. However, Unity has got it going on. Someone who goes into great depth and leaves no stone uncovered – each post is a pleasure to read.

- Iain Dale’s Diary just rocks. One of the more prolific posters around, he’s generally the first to bring your attention to things going on in the Conservative sphere. Highly amusing and someone i would love to see elected as a politician. Even as an A-list candidate, he doesn’t appear to pull his punches and comes across as being frank and honest.

- The irrepressible Guido Fawkes digs the dirt on everyone. Love him or loathe him, Guido has been around for a while now and has got his finger on the pulse. If the politicians want to play dirty, fine – Guido will stop at nothing to uncover the sleaziest goings on in the Westminster village.

- The mighty Manic is one of the first bloggers i came across. Tim has, by his own admission, been around for ages and seriously knows his stuff. The causes he brings to your attention are always worthy and his ideas are inspired. The wealth of information contained within Bloggerheads is immense.

- Dizzy is a switched on individual if ever there was one. Mixing politics and IT always makes for a fascinating read. He knows his shit and is always willing to call a spade a spade.

- His Grace is possibly the most erudite blog i’ve found. Politics and religion in an appealing, accessible and interesting manner. Cranmer has also cultivated a commentariat that often adds a layer of meaning that makes each post a veritable treasure trove of information, ideas and discussion.

- EU Referendum is also a mine of information. Richard North has truly opened my eyes to the woeful treatment of Britain’s armed forces. And his Corruption of the Media deserves some kind of award. Helen Szamuely is one of the more insightful authors in the British blogosphere. Together they make an awesome team.

This list is by no means exhaustive but i do tend to find myself browsing these blogs on an almost daily basis. If you’re open-minded and are savvy enough to recognise personal bias, these blogs will genuinely open your eyes to some of the things that are going on in the world that you won’t generally read in the papers or see on the news bulletins.

These are the people who are challenging the MSM… fuckin good luck to ‘em i say. Keep up the good work y’all.

Firstly, a bit of background. I feel quite strongly about putting everything in context, especially if it’s historical; but this applies equally to people. Fer’instance, say you’ve stumbled across this blog and want to know from what angle the author is getting at? It would be useful to know a bit more about me, so you can draw your own conclusions… makes sense right?

So, what’s the situation here – OK, i’m married, i’ve got a lovely Springer Spaniel puppy called Roxy, work for a large American bank here in Brussels… and am fascinated with life, the universe and everything. I’ll try and be more specific – my degree was in European Studies and French. Yup, that means i speak French… which helps if you live in a country where French is one of the three official languages. More intriguingly as far as the degree is concerned is how it opened my eyes to politics, economics, philosophy and, of course, the European Union. I guess that also makes me a europhile. I did consider for a time working in one of the institutions and have friends who do. I live 15 minutes walk away from the European Commission, Council and Parliament. Yes, i know it’s just a huge bureaucracy, it can be a horrendous waste of tax payer’s money and for those who work within its institutions, it’s a gravy train; however, on balance, i’m still pro-Europe.

However, instead of heading into politics or lobbying, i now find myself as a Corporate slut. My first job out of uni was working in the marketing department at GE’s International HQ… that’s about as big a fucking splash into the corporate world as you’re likely to get. And although my degree was a BSc (European Studies and French) i honestly didn’t envisage whoring myself to the highest bidding yank multi-national upon graduation.

And from a political, philosophical, economical point of view, i’m just fascinated by it all really. Gimme a bit of Marx, chuck in some J S Mill, start babbling about the Social Contract, get all Malthusian on yo ass… it all floats my boat. Admittedly, i don’t understand half of it but i would definitely love to know more about why we humans tend to interact the way we do. And some of the stories about these guys and gals from centuries passed are fucking amazing. Start with someone like Jean-Jacques Rousseau – don’t bother with all the tabula rasa stuff and his contrat social (well, don’t take me literally there, it’s cracking stuff; dig into if you get the time) – and head all points north into the Age of Enlightenment, it’ll blow your mind some of the shit this lot got up to!

I am a young member of this wonderful, new, global village. I vividly remember life pre-SMS and e-mail. I’ve seen the advent of rolling news – the sake of news just to fill the airwaves; and the decline of the MSM as a source of any kind of meaningful information or discussion. I’ve seen New Labour, Blair and his cronies make a mockery of British democracy (OK, older people will say this started with Maggie, or with whoever – i just happened to be five months too young to vote in 1997.) I’ve started to make up my mind about how i should live my life, how i should interact with others and how the world in general should interact. Don’t get me wrong – i’m not a Utopian… or an anarchist for that matter, i just don’t see the old left-wing vs. right-wing political democracies working any longer. It’s time for a change.

I want to get on with my life. As long as what i do doesn’t have a negative impact on others around me, leave me be. I want access to a free market. I do not want to be told how to run my life, especially by a bunch of wankers who think they know better than i do. Call me young, dumb and full of come but the aforementioned bunch of incompetents in the current government seem utterly incapable of doing much more than woefully screwing over the tax payer and lying through their back teeth. Politicians should be seen and not heard.

As a citizen, i’m willing to give a certain amount of legislative power to representatives who can then decide what is best for the greatest number of people residing in the state. I’m also willing to give a certain amount of my productivity to these representatives in the form of taxes, in order for them to redistribute it as they see fit, ensuring everyone is covered by what i consider to be certain fundamental human rights. Oh, and i’ll be a good boy and generally toe the line when it comes to not breaking any laws these representative see fit to legislate in order to protect me and my fellow citizens.

I won’t really ask much from the State. I would like to see the youth educated, i’d like to be able to move around at will and i want to be looked after by competent doctors in clean hospitals if i should fall ill. Apart from that, take my money and leave me the fuck alone. I’ve decided to live my life in a way that causes the least amount of stress and pain to others and i think of myself as competent and intelligent enough to look after myself and those around me i consider dear.

I realise that there are others who, for a multitude of reasons, aren’t as lucky as i am; who weren’t born to two solicitors like i was and who therefore didn’t have quite as nice an upbringing and chance at life as i did. Not much i can do about that really, so i see no need to apologise. Part of this upbringing and chance at life has instilled in me the ideal of the meritocracy. Through a modicum of intelligence, a few lucky flips of the coin and a lot of energy and effort, I’m now in a position where i earn a more than average wage. To ensure that if others with the same innate abilities and luck, no matter what their personal circumstances (and as long as they’re willing to put in the time and effort) reach the same level, i’m more than happy to give a proportion of this wage back to the state and let the elected representatives redistribute it to make this ideal so.

To be fair i haven’t got a fucking clue what to do about the chavs and those who are just born with less than average intelligence. Maybe if more people who, through determination, luck and skill make their way to being above average and who are therefore producing more money for the state to help these disadvanatged souls; coupled with people a damn sight more intelligent than me, mean that maybe a solution could be found that is for the greater good of society… finding a way of allowing society to constantly evolve and develop positively. If Darwin was right and animals do evolve, i don’t see any reason why, under the right circumstances, groups of people can’t do the same. That is, of course, assuming the ole bastard was right… but i guess that’s another issue.

What else… i’m also a bit of a grammar snob. I hate sloppy writing. Not poor writing, just silly typos, poor syntax, the inappropriate use of apostrophes etc. I don’t exactly know why (although it may have summat to do with both parents being in law) and i have no real experience in English. In fact, my sum knowledge of the English language has come about through reading a lot and taking French grammar rules, then translating them into English. I am interested in things like philology, linguistics and morphology… hence a lot of words i write are more phonetic than actual.

I like the outdoors. I grew up in the countryside and then decided i wanted to try city life. After nearly a decade of being in cities i reckon i’m still a country-lad but i’m buggered if i’m giving up the amenities and user-friendly aspects of living in the urban sprawl. One thing i will say is that it’s a damn site nicer living closer to the city centre than out in ‘burbia though. Snowboarding is my passion – live to ride, ride to live – and i’ve been doing it long enough to remember the bad old days… it’s getting on for 15 seasons since i first strapped a plank of wood to my feet and decided to huck myself off mountains.

And if i’m being brutally honest with y’all, i smoke weed. Well, i used to, what with quitting smoking and everything. I cannae really justify smoking joints on a daily basis any more, as it would just become an excuse for smoking, or smoking for the sake of smoking. I’m sure it’s not the end of weed for me… even if i have to purchase a pipe. Plus, the wife will definitely not allow it! Sorry if it offends you but i like getting high. It’s a cheap and effective way (as long as you don’t kick the arse out of it) of chilling the fuck out. And in this day and age, i quite like taking a step back from the hustle and bustle of the 24/7 culture the Western world runs on. Having smoked weed for about as long as i’ve been boarding means that it has obviously had a fairly profound effect on the way i see life.

I don’t think it has harmed me in any way; and whichever way i look at it, it’s helped mould me into the person i am. If it wasn’t for weed, i wouldn’t have met some of the most interesting people i’ve met to date, or have some of the mad experiences which have effected my outlook on life. On the whole, i don’t think i’ve abused it and so i really can’t see it having had an overall negative effect on me. Maybe i’m one of the lucky ones: i’ve never suffered from the paranoia associated with regular smoking, i don’t appear to be schizophrenic and i don’t suffer from short-term memory loss any more than the non-smokers i know.

So there you go… me in a nut shell, plus ou moins. I guess this will get edited as time goes on. Or maybe i will just post updates on various bits. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

For now, i leave you with this sobering thought – don’t drink and drive; you might hit a bump and spill your beer…